An in-depth story on AOPA.org about the embattled Santa Monica Airport in Southern California notes that its fate could have implications for airports across the country. The subject of a lawsuit by the city to close the airport, SMO “should be the cause célèbre of aviation interests to draw the proverbial line in the sand,” Richard Asper, […]
AOPA
AOPA names Coon to lead government affairs division
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has named Jim Coon as senior vice president of Government Affairs and Advocacy. Coon, who has years of experience working with Congress and the aviation industry, will oversee both the regulatory and legislative aspects of AOPA’s advocacy operations. Coon has spent much of his career working as a […]
AOPA calls lawsuit to close Santa Monica Airport meritless
Officials at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) say a federal lawsuit filed Oct. 31 by the City of Santa Monica against the FAA lacks “any merit in law.” In its lawsuit, the Santa Monica City Council asks the court to give the city clear title to the site of the Santa Monica Municipal […]
Long-time AOPA executive dies
Harmon Pritchard, a long-time executive at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, died Monday, Oct. 14, at his retirement home in Winchester, Virginia. He was 84. Pritchard joined the staff of AOPA in 1966 as an assistant to the vice president of marketing and devoted the next 35 years to the association and the pilots […]
AOPA Summit: AOPA recognizes first AOPA-AbleFlight scholarship recipient
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) celebrated the achievements of U.S. Marine Lt. Andrew Kinard upon the successful completion of flight training as AOPA’s 2013 Aviation Summit opened here Thursday. Kinard learned to fly after having lost both legs while serving in Iraq. He took flight training through Able Flight, […]
AOPA Summit: Airport advocates receive award
FORT WORTH, Texas — Colorado airport advocates Dave Shepard and Steve Wood have been named the 2013 winners of the Laurence P. Sharples Perpetual Award. The award is the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s (AOPA) highest honor for individuals. It is presented annually to those who have made the most significant contributions to the advancement […]
AOPA Summit: Rep. John Barrow recognized
FORT WORTH, Texas — U.S. Congressman John Barrow (D-Ga.) is the 2013 recipient of the Joseph B. Hartranft Jr. Award, one of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s highest honors, for his work on behalf of general aviation (GA) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Joseph B. Hartranft Jr. award is presented annually to […]
AOPA moves to dismiss, transfer lawsuit
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), in an Oct. 7 response to SD Holdings (SDH) patent infringement lawsuit, seeks to dismiss the lawsuit or, alternatively, have it moved from Oregon to Maryland. “AOPA requests dismissal due to the fact there is no basis for SDH’s patent infringement allegations against FlyQ Web, AOPA’s online aviation flight […]
AOPA hit with lawsuit over flight planner
HILLSBORO, Ore. — SD Holdings LLC has filed a $66 million patent infringement lawsuit against the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). The suit, brought by Peter A. Haas on July 29, claims AOPAs FlyQ Flight Planner infringes two SD Holdings patents. The patents were awarded Dec. 29, 2009 and May 12, 2013, to inventors Roger […]